Tony the Tiger Voice Actor Lee Marshall Dies at 64

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A sign featuring Tony the Tiger and a Keebler Elf marks the location of the Keebler corporate offices May 19, 2004 in Elmhurst, Illinois. The Kellogg Co. bought Keebler Foods in 2001.

Updated at 9:10 AM PDT on Friday, May 9, 2014

Lee Marshall, one of the actors who supplied the booming voice of Tony the Tiger in commercials, has died. He was 64.

His son, Jason VanBorssum, tells the Los Angeles Times Marshall died of esophageal cancer on April 26 at a Santa Monica hospital.

Marshall began voicing the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes mascot in 1999, filling in for the original actor, Thurl Ravenscroft.

Marshall got his first full-time radio job at the age of 14 in Phoenix. He had a prematurely deep voice and lied about his age. His career included radio newsman, rock 'n' roll disc jockey, sports broadcaster and wrestling ring interviewer.